A storage area network (SAN) typically interconnects many mass storage devices, commonly known as storage arrays, with a set of users for providing data storage and retrieval services to the user community. The storage area network includes a plurality of nodes for providing the information retrieval services to the users, including host computers, storage arrays, connectivity devices, and databases. The host computers execute software entities known as agents for monitoring and managing the various nodes in the SAN. In a large storage area network, the number of nodes may be substantial. Accordingly, users typically find it beneficial to operate a management application for monitoring and controlling the various nodes in the SAN.
Conventional management applications deploy agents on host computers (hosts) in the SAN for effecting management and control operations. A variety of different types of agents are available for deployment, and generally monitor and manage a particular type of node, or manageable entity. Further, the agents are typically provided for each of a plurality of operating systems which may be available on the particular host computer on which the agents are deployed. Accordingly, in a large SAN, many agents are deployed on multiple host nodes throughout the SAN. The deployed agents monitor and manage various SAN for providing command and control capability from a user console via a server coupled to the console.